Cavaliers vs. Pistons Game 1 instant reactions. Detroit holds off Cavs
Cavaliers writers Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich react right away to Game 1 of Cavs vs. Pistons in the NBA playoffs.
DETROIT — The Pistons have taken Game 1. In the first round, the Cavs beat the No. 5 Toronto Raptors in Game 7 to survive and advance.
The Pistons took care of the No. 8 Orlando Magic , also in seven games, to set up a Cleveland-Detroit series in the second round . In Game 1 between the Cavs and Pistons, Detroit held a lead for most of the night before Cleveland battled back to tie it in the fourth quarter.
But after that point, the Pistons went on a 12-5 run and eventually won 111-101 to take a 1-0 series lead. Cavs guard Sam Merrill left the game with a hamstring injury and did not return. Here are Cavaliers-Pistons Game 1 instant reactions from Beacon Journal writers Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich : Cavs vs Pistons Game 1: Ryan Lewis' instant reaction It was a pretty safe bet the hard-nosed Pistons were gonna throw the first punch, and as it turns out, the Cavs didn't have the counter needed to pull out Game 1.
Jarrett Allen's foul trouble was extremely detrimental to how the Cavs could operate. Thomas Bryant's extra minutes with Allen sidelined weren't the most productive, to say the least. After Allen was the hero of Game 7 against the Raptors, he was effectively absent from Game 1.